In tough times such as these, when fans are apprehensive about being excited about their Toronto Blue Jays ball club, we all need to take a step back and look elsewhere in order to find something to smile about. Earlier today, Blue Jays pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez was named MLB‘s ninth best right-handed pitching prospect by MLB.com, and for good reason. Finally, there’s something to crack a grin about for fans of the blue birds.

Although it doesn’t look like Sanchez will make many appearances, if any at all, in the majors this season, Toronto fans have to be excited about what the 6-foot-4 21 year old will eventually bring to the table for the Jays. First and foremost, his ability to throw a fastball in the mid to upper 90′s, combined with a superior than most power curveball, is enough to make him an opponent’s worst nightmare. Sanchez’s ability to overpower those he’s facing on an ongoing basis makes him the pride of the Blue Jays’ minor league system and the star of the future.

Along with his skills coming off the mound, one has to also admire his patience. Sanchez has played for a total of six different teams in the Blue Jays’ system and doesn’t seem to be getting frustrated or antsy with what can sometimes seem like a long and drawn out process. Although fans of the Blue Jays want to see him pitch for the club now, especially since there are still two vacancies within the starting rotation, Sanchez and his camp know very well that patience is definitely a virtue.

There have been so many young arms that have gone down due to injury far too early, and Sanchez doesn’t want to be the next. He is way too special of a player to mess around with in that regard. Can he and fellow prospect Marcus Stroman be the answer to the holes that are currently in the starting pitching rotation for the Blue Jays? Perhaps. However, it’s definitely not worth the risk to just throw your prized possession on the mound too early, even if he can hold his own, especially when he has done more than a solid job of being patient and doing his best to master his craft.

Like a fine wine, sometimes ball players can get better with age, especially when you’re only 21. Sanchez is no doubt the ace of the future for a baseball club in Toronto that has historically produced great pitchers out of their very own minor league system. Only time will tell whether or not he can follow in the footsteps of Blue Jays greats such as Roy Halladay, Dave Steib and Jimmy Key as pure homegrown talent that all had the ability to make an immediate difference in Toronto. Either way, while everyone else in Toronto needs and wants him to pitch in the bigs right at this very moment, Sanchez himself even knows that because of his talent and patience combined, the sky is the limit for this future Blue Jays ace.